Anyone have any experience with replicating view camera parts with a 3D printer?

[Greg]

I picked up a 4x5 Sinar Norma while back which was missing the 4 riser end caps. Shopping around, I have located some for sale but at a price of $50 each. These are pretty much non-functional parts made out of plastic and not subject to wear or stress, so seems like creating them using a 3D printer a viable option. OEM end caps are threaded but friction fitting end caps would easily do making the cap's fabrication (to me) a whole lot easier.

[B.S.Kumar]

If you aren't concerned about having original parts, you could probably find slightly smaller caps and wrap some masking tape around them to make them fit.

Kumar

[el french]

3d printed parts are only cheap if you own the printer and/or you can create the design yourself. If you're lucky, there may be a maker space near you that could help you make the parts.

p.s. You could buy a cheap printer for about the price of the four caps :)

[Tin Can]

If you aren't concerned about having original parts, you could probably find slightly smaller caps and wrap some masking tape around them to make them fit.

Kumar

Yes, search McMaster Carr.

[Jason Greenberg Motamedi]

I used a 3D printer to make a new set of bases for Norma bubble levels. They came out fine, and were much cheaper than buying new or used ebay, but figuring out the software (I used SketchUp) took a while.

[LabRat]

Wood is good for replacement of many small plastic parts, and can be made with simple hand tools...

Also, if you go through plastic scrap (bottle caps, jar lids, old junk stuff, etc) you might find something that can be adapted, sometimes with the help of epoxy...

Hardware stores/auto stores/electrical/plumbing supply might even have something close that can be adapted... Be creative, and done right, you might not be able to tell it's home brew... :-)

Steve K

[Neal Chaves]

I recently tried to find post caps for a Toyo G, a special order for $16.50 each. I determined that the cap was M10X1.5 thread and found some steel socket head screws that fit in Home Depot. Then on the way home I had a better idea and stopped at a NAPA auto parts store and found inexpensice black plastic barbed interior trim fasteners that fit perfectly and are just the right size and appearance. They have quite a selection and I am sure you can find a size that works.

[Greg]

Does anyone know the threat size for the riser end cap on top of a Sinar 4x5 Norma standard? Getting a bolt that size and epoxying over its head a plastic cap seems to be the best way to go.

thanks

Greg

[neil poulsen]

Take your Norma to a hardware store, and they can try different sizes. You could use the right sized bolt and a washer, until a more reasonably priced option becomes available.

[LabRat]

Not sure of the size, but metric threads usually have a uniform pitch (not NC or NF like SAE) so just having the dia will be useful and easier to find the screw...

Also, maybe putting an oversize (fender) washer on the end under the screw will suffice???

Steve K

(oops, typing while Neil was typing... All good stuff!!!)

[HMG]

3d printed parts are only cheap if you own the printer and/or you can create the design yourself. If you're lucky, there may be a maker space near you that could help you make the parts.

p.s. You could buy a cheap printer for about the price of the four caps :)

There are folks out there who will print your design relatively inexpensively. My guess is that they are trying to recover some of their investment. I've used this guy (http://www.oberdas3d.com/) (once) and was pleased with cost and result (my only complaint is that his home page automatically plays "music" - I hate that).

[Thebes]

Seems like it should be easy. So long as you can model them I think you can put in the threads just fine. Be mindful of what you make them out of, PLA is the easy beginner plastic and some printers do well only with it and some variants... not super tough, somewhat stiff, poor impact resistance, but eco friendly. ABS puts off nasty fumes but is stronger and a better choice. It requires a heated bed and some fussing or various adhesion solutions. You can do nylon or even acetal the later might well be better than the stock caps, but that becomes very tricky and probably needs a heated chamber, heated table, nozzle and fan fiddling, and adhesion tricks.

If it were me, with no printer, I would make them out of shapeways "strong and flexible" or similar. You'll likely use more supplies than the cost of the prints in just learning to use the printer. How many things in your life do you want to make with the thing, or is it better just to hire the occasional work out to cut-rate experts?

JMHO -- Thebes

[el french]

You can also mold HDPE and LDPE by heating it. Here's a rather long winded video showing the process: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vO2b9iMitQY

Here's another for PET: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7y3u4wLqDy4

[Keith Pitman]

Those threads are M10-1.5 x 8mm. Easy to find. If you spend some time searching, you should be able to find a proper black knurled screw. Alternatively, you can find black socket head cap screws easily, just need a tool to remove.

[noci]

I've recently modeled a custom LF lens head mount assembly and am having that printed at Shapeways, for a custom hand held LF cam. I'll share some pics when I have it.
Best,
Max

[photonsoup]

I recently took a class on 3D printing and printed a lens board for a crown graphic. Put on a lens, put it in camera and took a Fuji fp3000b photo of the class members.